Lower prices are in the pipeline for our 1.7 million natural gas customers. Starting in April, bills will be reduced by about 13 percent. That is a reduction in fuel costs for our gas customers by about $130 million over the next year to levels not seen in nine years.

This long-term reduction comes on top of lower fuel costs from the recent mild winter, saving a typical residential gas customer about $94 compared to the previous year. Tim Sparks, vice president for energy supply operations, led the search for cost-reduction opportunities brought about by changes in the U.S. natural gas market.

“We continually adjust our gas purchasing strategy to ensure we’re minimizing our costs so we can maximize the benefits to our customers,” Sparks said. He points out that significant investments by Consumers Energy in its Michigan natural gas system provided customers access to declining fuel costs.

To realize further savings, customers can also take advantage of the incentives and rebates offered for the addition of energy efficiency measures to their homes. We also offer a natural gas center that features an easy-to-use calculator to compare natural gas costs to other heating fuels, such as propane or heating oil.

In 2011, the typical Consumers Energy residential customer paid about $3 per day for natural gas over the course of a year. That’s less than the price of a specialty coffee. And we deliver 24/7. To learn what Consumers Energy does for you and how we spend your energy dollars, please visit www.ConsumersEnergy.com/MyEnergyValue.